1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable lighting devices and, more particularly, is concerned with a miniature flashlight device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Miniature flashlight devices which can be stored in a pocket or attached to a key chain are known in the prior art. Examples of such miniature flashlight devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,411 to Schwartz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,315 to Wolter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,833 to Wolter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,451 to Chabria, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,356 to Guthrie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,631 to Padden and French Pat. No. 1,443,787 to Teisseire.
Some common components of miniature flashlight devices include a housing, a battery disposed in the housing, an electric lamp supported in the housing, electrically conductive contact members positioned in the housing and electrically interconnecting spaced contact portions of the lamp with spaced contact portions of the battery of respective positive and negative polarities, and an actuating element mounted on the housing and being movable for closing and opening an electrical circuit between the electrically conductive contact members, the battery and the lamp.
The housings of these devices have various configurations and constructions. However, a common theme of the housings as well as other components is that they are mostly utilitarian in character. Miniature flashlight devices are increasingly popular with consumers because of their utilitarian character. The inventor herein has perceived an innovative way to expand the attractiveness of miniature flashlight devices to consumers without sacrificing their utilitarian character.
The present invention provides a miniature flashlight device which combines the utilitarian features of a flashlight with the ornamental appearance of a common item of apparel, such being a hat. The specific embodiment of a hat whose ornamental appearance is incorporated in the device of the present invention is a helmet or hardhat such as worn commonly by construction and other workers.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a miniature flashlight device which comprises: (a) a housing shaped to simulate a hat, the housing including (i) a main portion simulating a crown of the hat having a bottom opening and a side with a hole defined therethrough, the main portion defining an interior cavity in communication with the bottom opening of the main portion and the hole in the side of the main portion, and (ii) an extension portion simulating a bill of the hat disposed exteriorly of and attached to the main portion such that the bill extends at least partially about the main portion adjacent to the bottom opening thereof and outwardly from the main portion; (b) a cover adapted to interfit with the housing so as to close the bottom opening of the main portion thereof; (c) means for detachably attaching the cover to the housing; and (d) a light generating assembly disposed in the cavity of the housing when the cover is attached to the housing, the light generating assembly including an electric lamp module supported on the housing through the hole in the side of the main portion of the housing such that the lamp module extends both exteriorly from the main portion of the housing and interiorly into the cavity of the main portion of the housing. The main and extension portions of the housing together define a continuous bottom rim on the housing encompassing the extension portion and the bottom opening of the main portion. The cover is adapted to interfit with the continuous bottom rim on the housing so as to underlie the main and extension portions and close the bottom opening of the main portion of the housing.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.